Electric control system



H. M. STOLLER.

ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21.1921.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. M. STOLLER.

1 ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21.1921.

1 A2 6,79 1-. Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

' z SHEETSSHEET 2.

llli

To all whom it ma concern:

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH M. STOLLER, 0] NEW'YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC COI- PANY, INCORPORATED, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION .01 NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC conmaon SYSTEM.

Be it known t at I, HUGH M. 8101mm, a citizen of the United States of America residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Control Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in electric control systems for prime mover dynamo plants, and more particularly to such plants employing an internal combustion engine as the prime mover.

One object of the invention consists in employing with an internal combustion engine, a secondary battery and dynamo electric machine provided with a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, and both wound cumulatively with said shunt field, together with control means so designed that the shunt field and series field having the larger number of ampere turns are connected to the battery for starting the engine, and the shunt field and series field having the smaller number of ampere turns are connected to the battery for charging it and supplying the load.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in such a system of control means comprising a manually operable switch and a relay armature, which serves as a switch, so arranged relative to each other that the hand of the operator in operating the switch may readily and quickly actuate the armature of the relay. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in detail in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a panel board showing the various elements of the control system mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fi 1, looking in the direction indicated by t e arrow.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the circuit connections for the control apparatus and showing their connection with an internal combustion engine, dynamo electric machine and secondary battery.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 22, 1922. Application filed June 21, 1921. Serial No. 479,192. '7

Referring now to the drawings in details, in which like reference numerals designate similar parts, the reference numeral 10 indicates a panel board constructed of slate or other insulating material which is mounted upon parallel standards 11 supported by the engine or casing of the d namo electric mach ne (not shown). Pro ecting through a vertical slot cut in the board 10 at approximately the center is a switch lever 12', pivoted at the point 13 between.

parallel cars 14 secured to the back face of the board 10, the lever 12 having in tegral therewith radial arms 15 and 16, each carrying a contact 17 and 18, respectively. A torsion spring 118 having one end in engagement with the arm 16 and its other end ying against the rear face of the board 10, serves -to hold the switch lever 12 in the position illutsrated, in which the contact 17 is held in engagementwith a contact spring 19 secured to the rear face of the board 10. To start the system, the switch handle 12 is depressed until it engages the lower end of a slot 20, registering with the slot in the board 10, and formed in a plate 21 secured to the front face of the said board. With the lever 12 in its lowermost position, contact 17 is out of engagement with contact spring 19, and contact 18 has been moved into engagement with two contact springs 22 and 23 insulated from each other and secured to the rear face of the panel board 10.

A relay 24 is mounted upon the front face of the board 10 in the upper left hand corner thereof, the core 25 and'pole piece 26- of the rela position.

26 is an L-shaped armature 27, the vertical, leg of. which is suitably pivoted on the framework of the relay (not shown). When the core 25 of relay 24 is deenergized, armature 27 occupies the position shown in which its horizontal leg is separated a considerable' distance from the pole piece 26 being mounted in a vertical and rests against a stop pin 28 carried by.

the front face of the board 10. A handle 29 is secured to the outer end of the horizontal leg of the armature 27, and when the armature occupies the position shown,

the handle29 is positioned above and adjacent to the lever 12, the purpose of which construction will be hereinafter pointed out in detail. When the core 25 of relay 24 is ooperating with the pole piece energized and the handle 29 has been lifted to bring the horizontal leg of the armature 27 close to the pole piece 26, it will be retained in this position,'as will be hereinafter described, the air gap between the armature 27 and pole iece 26 being determined by an adjustab e set screw 30 carried by the armature 27. The relay 24, and its armature 27 as-will be hereinafter described, constitutes a means for automatically stopping the gas engine when the secondary battery is charged, and also as a means for breaking the circuit connecting the dynamo electric machine and battery should the current therein reverse and tend to discharge the battery through the dynamo electric machine.

An ammeter 31 is secured to the panel board 10 in the upper right hand corner thereof, which serves to indicate the amperage of the current flowing into or out of the battery.

Mounted on each side of the switch lever 12 is a fuse 32 and '33, the former being in series in the circuit connecting the dynamo electric machine with the load, and the latter in series with the circuit connecting the dynamo electric machine and the battery.

Mounted upon the front face of the panel 10, below the switch 12, is a double-throw knife switch 34 which is adapted to engage contact 35 or 36. With the switch 34 in the position shown, the relay 24 automatically disconnects the dynamo electric machine and battery when the latter is fully charged, but with the switch 34 in engagement with contact 36, the relay .24 maintains the circuit between the dynamo electric machine and battery, after the battery has been completely charged so that it may be given an over charge, as will be hereinafter explained in detail.

Mounted on the front face of the panel 10, below the switch 34, is a knife switch 37, which cooperates with a contact 38, switch 37 serving, when in the position shown, to close the circuit connecting the load with the dynamo electric machine and battery, and when open to break this circuit.

Referring to Fig. 3 which shows the circuit connections for the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 50 indicates an internal combustion engine, the crank shaft 51 of'which is directly connected to the armature 52 of a motor generator 53. The dynamo electric machine 53 is provided with a shunt field 54 directly connected across the brushes 55 and. 56 by a conductor 57 and conductors 58, 59 and 60, respectively, and also with two series field windings 61 and 62, one end of the former being connected to the brush 55 and itsother end "to contact 23 coogeratmg with arm 16 of switch lever 12. no end of the series field winding 62 is connected to the brush 55 while its other end isbonnected, by conductor 63, in series with a helix 64 wound upon the core 25 of relay '24, the other'end of the helix 64 being connected to the ivotal point of the armature 27 of the sai relay. The series field winding 61 has a larger number of am ere turns than the series field 62, both fields eing wound accumulatively with the shunt field 54, the former being used with the shunt field 54 when the dynamo electric machine 53 functions as a motor to start the engine 50, and the latter being used with the shunt field 54 when the dynamo electric machine 53 functions as a generator to charge a storage battery 100 or sup ly the load 101 illustrated as a plurality of incandescent lamps. When armature 27 of relay 24 IS in its attracted position, it bridges two contacts 65 and .66 the former being connected to contact spring 19 by a conductor 67, and the latter being connected to contact spring 22 by a conductor 68. Connected to conductors 68 and 59 is a conductor 69 in which the primary winding 70 of an induction coil and a timer 71 are connected in series. The timer 71 is operated by the engine 50, and in making and breaking its contact. periodically energizes and deenergizes primary winding 70 which induces current in the secondary winding 72 of the induction coil which is connected at one end to a spark plug 73 and has its other end grounded on the engine 50. In addition to the helix 64, a shunt coil 75 is wound upon the core 25 of relay 24, one end of the said coil being connected to contact 36 of overcharge switch 34, and its other end connected to conductor 59.

The various elements of the control systerm are shown in their normal positions in which the engine 50 is idle and the dynamo electric machine 53 disconnected from the secondary battery 100. The load 101 is-being supplied by the secondary battery over a circuit which may be traced from one side of battery 100, ammeter 31, fuse 33, conductor 76, fuse 32, load 101, conductor 77, line switch 37, contact 38, conductors 78 and 59 back to the other side of battery 100.

Should the secondary battery 100 be discharged to a point where it is insufficient to carry load 101, or should it be desired to materially increase the said load, the engine 50 should be started to drive the dynw mo electric machine 53 as a generator to charge the storage battery or to carry the additional load. To start the system, switch lever 12 is depressed, moving contact 17 carried by arm 15 out of engagement with contact spring 19 and carrying contact 18, carried by switch arm 16, into en agement with contacts springs 22 and 23. T is movement/of the switch lever 12 closes an energizing circuit for the dynamo electric machine 53. which may be traced from one side of secondary battery 100, conductors 59 and 60, brush 56, armature 52, brush 55, series field 61, contact spring 23, contact l8,sw1tch arm 16, conductors 79, 76, fuse 33, ammeter battery. 100, conductors59, 58, shunt field 54, conductor 57, series field 61, contact spring 23, contact 18, arm 16, conductors 79, 76, fuse 33, ammeter 31 back to the other side of battery 100. Series field 61 and shunt field 54 being wound accumulatively, the former having a large number of ampere turns which are added to the ampere turns of the shunt field, a large flux is supplied the armature 52 of the dynamo electric machine 53 so that it has a large torque for cranking the gas engine 50. The mov ng of starting lever 12 in addition to closing the energizing circuit for the motor generator, as previously descrlbed, also closes the primary ignition circuit for the en me which may be traced from one side of at tery 100, ammeter 31, fuse 33, conductors 76, 79 arm 16, contact 18, contact spring 22, conductor 69, primary lgnitlon 0011 70, timer 71, conductor 59. back to the other side of batte 100. The start1ng lever 12 is held in its epressed osition maintain ng the circuits just descri ed until the engine 50 has started and is driving the dynamo electric machine 53. The starting lever 12 ma now be released to return to it's norma position under the action of torsion spring 118, moving contact 18 out ofengagement with contacts springs 22 and 23 and moving contact 17 into engagement with contact spring 19. Contact 18, in moving out of engagement with contact spring 22, opens the primary ignition circuit for the engine 50, but this circuit should be quickly reestablished by the operator by lifting armature 27 ad acent the pole piece 26 of relay 24 causing the armature to bridge contacts 65 and 66, the latter closing the ignltion circuit. Since the handle 29, carried by the armature 27, is positioned directly above the handle carried by the starting lever 12, it may be readily and quickly lifted to bridge contacts 65 and. 66 by the hand of the operator so that, the ignition circuit is only interrupted for a very brief interval, which is not suflicient to permit the engine 50 to stop. The ignition circuit, closed by lifting armature 27 to bridge contacts 65 and 66, may be traced from one side of the battery 100, conductor 59, timer 71, primary ignition coil 70, conductors 69, 68, contact 66, armature 27, contact 65, conductor 67, contact spring 19, contact 17, arm 15, conductors 79, 76, fuse 33, ammeter 31 back to the other side of battery 100. Ar-

' mature 27 in engaging contacts 65 and 66,

in addition'to closing the ignition circuit just described, also closes a circuit'connect- 25 of relay 24 is energized and holds the armature in the position into which it has been moved as long as suflicient current flows from the dynamo electric machine to the battery. This circuit may be traced from brush 56, conductors 60 and 59, battery 100, ammeter 31, fuse 33, conductors 76' and 79, switch arm 15, contacts 17 and 19, conductor 67, contact 65, armature 27 helix 64, conductor 63, series field 62, conductor 57', back to brush 55 of armature 52. The circuit for the shunt field 54 may be traced from brush 56,. conductors 60, 59 and 58, shunt field 54, conductor 57 back to brush 55 of armature 52.

Series field 62 and shunt field 54 are wound cumulatively so that the wattage supplied by thesaid dynamo electric machine functioning as a generator is comparatively large, The load circuit may be traced from brush 56, conductors 60, 78, contact 38, line switch 37, conductor 77, load 101, conductor 76, fuse 32, conductor 79, switch lever 12, contact 17, contact spring 19, conductor 67 contact 65, armature 27 helix 64, conductor 63, series field 62, conductor 57 to brush 55.

As long as there is no load connected to conductors 76 and 77 and the secondary battery 100 is not fully charged, the engine will continue to operate and drive the dynamo electric machine 53. When the load is disconnected from conductors 76 and 77 and the secondary battery 100 has become fully charged, the counter electromotive force of the battery reduces the current flow in the circuit to a point which permits the helix 64 to release armature 27 which drops away from pole piece 26, opening contacts 65'and 66 interrupting the circuit connecting the dynamo electric machine 53 and the battery 100, and also breaking the ignition circuit for the engine, causing it to stop.

In charging the secondary battery 100, and in supplying the load 101, the helix 64 is energized by current flowing from the generator to the said battery and load, so that during the charging of the battery, or the supplying of the load by the dynamo electric machine operating as a dynamo, should the current in the circuit reverse and tend to discharge the battery through the generator, the helix 64 would, as the current approached zero, create a flux insuflicient to maintain the armature of the relay 27 attracted and release the said armature, breaking the charging circuit, line circuit and also the ignition circuit for the engine.

To keep a secondary battery in the most life, it is found necessary to eriodically give it what is'called an overc arge, the

reasons for which are well known by those skilled in the art. In order to give the secondary battery 100 an overcharge 1n the system illustrated, it is necessary to keep the armature 27 of relay 28 in an attracted position, even though the COUIItBI GlBClBIPmOtIVB force of the battery would cause helix 64 to release armature 27. This means comprises the shunt winding 75 of the rela 24 which may be connected in shunt of the attery l00 and dynamo electric machine 53 by mov ng the overcharge switch 34 from the positlon shown to one in which it engages contact 36. The circuit for the shunt winding 75 may be traced from conductor 76, overcharge switch 34, contact 36, conductor 80, shunt winding 75, conductor 81 to conductor 59. Both the dynamo electric machine 53 and the battery 100 are connected to conductors 59 and 76.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and the series field havin the larger number of ampere turns to sald secondary battery for starting said engine and for connectingsaid shunt field and the series field having the smaller number of ampere turns to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, and electromagnetic means for controlling one of said switches.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and the series field having the larger number of ampere turns to said secondary battery for starting said engine and for connectin said shunt field and the series field having t e smaller number of ampere turns to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, said switches normally biased in one position, and electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after being manually moved into said position.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means-for the potential of the dynamo electric machine when functioning as a generator. v

4. The combinatlon with an lnternal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and the series field having the larger number of ampere turns to said secondary battery for starting said engine and for connecting said shunt field and the series field having the smaller number of ampere turns to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, the operating handles of said switches being arranged adjacent each other whereby said switches may be moved into different positions by a single hand of the operator.

5. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and the series field having the larger number of ampere turns to said secondary battery for starting said engine and for connecting said shunt field and the series field havin the smaller number of ampere turns to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, said switches normally biased in one position, and electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after being manually moved into said position, the operating handles of said switches being arranged adjacent eaoh other whereby said switches may be moved into different positions by a sin le hand of the operator.

6. The com ination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and the series said switches field having the lar r number oi ampere turns to said secon ary battery for startent series fields, one havln ing said engine and for connecting said shunt field and the series field, havin the smaller number of ampere turns to sai battery for charging it, said means comprisin two ,-manually operable switches, said switches normally biased in one position, and

electromagnetic means for retalning one of said switches in another position after being manually moved into said position, said means comprising a manually operable switch and a relay, said switch normally biased in one positlon, and the armature atsaid relay normally positioned awayffrom its pole piece, the operating handle of said .switch and said relay armature being arranged adjacent each other' whereby said switch may be moved into'a different position and said relay armature moved adjacent its pole piece by a single hand of'the operator.

7 The combination with an internal combustion engine'of a dynamo electric machine having ashunt field and two-independa larger number of ampere turns than t e other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary batte means for connecting said shunt field an the series field having the larger number of ampereturns to said secondary battery for starting said engine and for connecting said shunt field and the series 'field havin the smaller number of ampere turnsto sai bat-' tery for charging it, said means comprising two manual y operable switches, said switches normally biased in one position, and electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after being manually moved into said position, said means comprising a manually operable switch and a relay, the said switch normally biased in one position, and the armature of said'relay normally positioned away fromits pole piece, the operating handleof said switch movable in a vertical plane, the armature of said relay positioned directly above. said operating handle whereby said switch handle may moved upwardly to operate said switch and the armature of said relay moved adjacent its pole piece by a single hand of the operator.

8. he combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of number of ampere turns to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, said switches normally biased in one position, and electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after bein manually moved into said position, sai means comprising a manually operable switch, and the operating handle of said switch vertically movable and normally held in an elevated position, and a relay, the armature of which is normally held by gravity away from its pole pieceand above the oper ating handle of said switch.

' 9. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns thanv the other, both of-said series fields woundcumulatively with said shunt field, a seconda battery means for connecting said shunt fi eld and one, of said vseries fields to said battery for starting the engine and forconnecting said shunt field and the otherseries field to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, said switches normally biased in one position, an electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after being manually moved into said position.

10. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of saidseries fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and one of said series fields to saidsecondary battery for starting said engine, and connecting said shunt field and the other series field to said battery for charging it, said means comprisin two manually operable switches, said switches normally biased. in one position, and electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after being manually .moved into said position as long as the potential of the battery is lower than the otentialof the dynamo electric machine w fien functioning as a generator.

11. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine havin a shunt field and two independent series fields, ,one having. a larger number of ampere turns thanthe other,

both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary bat tery, means for connecting said shunt field and one of said series fields to said secondary battery for startin said engine, and connecting said shunt fie d andthe other series field to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, the operating handles of said switches being arranged adjacent each other whereby said switches may be moved intodifferent positions by a single hand of the operator.

12. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine having a,shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and one of said series fields to said secondary battery for starting said engine, and connecting said shunt field and the other series field to said battery for charging it, said means comprising two manually operable switches, said switches normally biased in one position, and electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after being manually moved into said position, said means comprising a manually operable switch and a relay, the said switch normally biased in one position, and the armature of said relay normally positioned away from its pole piece, the operating handle of said switch movable in a vertical plane, the armature of said relayositioned directly above said operating handle whereby said switch handle may be moved upwardly to operate said switch and the armature of said relay moved adjacent its pole piece by a single hand of the operator.

18. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a dynamo electric machine havinga shunt field and two independent series fields, one having a larger number of ampere turns than the other, both of "said series fields wound cumulatively with said shunt field, a secondary battery, means for connecting said shunt field and one of said series fields to said secondary battery for starting said engine, and connecting said shunt field and the other series field to said battery for char ing it, said,

means comprisin switches, said switches normally biased in one position, and electromagnetic means for retaining one of said switches in another position after being manually moved into sail? position, said means comprising a manua han le of said switch vertically movable and normally held in an elevated position, and a relay,'the armature of which is normally held by gravity away from its pole piece and above the operating handle of said switch. a

v In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of June A. D., 1921.

HUGH M. STOLLER.

operable switch, and the operatingtwo manua 1y operable 

